The Uttar Pradesh government also asked the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) to run 500 special buses from various parts of the state to Pragraj during the Kumbh Mela, a UP minister said Friday. Upendra Tiwari called upon HimachalGovernor Acharya Devvrat and Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur to formally invite them to participate in the fair.

Nearly 12 crore devotees are expected to visit the Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj which will begin January 15. Touted as the biggest cultural and religious event in the world, the Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj has been accorded the status of world heritage by the UNESCO. The event, which will conclude on March 4, has been included in the list of ‘intangible cultural heritage of humanity.’

Representatives of 192 countries are expected to visit the Kumbh Mela.